What I Cherished
by tornac
Summary: It was too late, thought Katara. He loves another... -Zutara Angst-


**_Would you be able to find the strength and courage to ask him who he really loved, or stay silent and live on in vain... not knowing it was you?_**

**_This is my second fanfiction, and another tribute to Zutara..._**

Stars glittered under the velvety black sky covering the Fire Nation Palace. A silent breeze whispered through the rustling leaves, mysterious in the stillness of the night. Not a soul moved, all at peaceful rest after another long day.

All, except for the Fire Lord.

Zuko was walking quietly through the gardens. He did not seek sleep, he did not need rest. A lot was on his mind, and he needed the silence of the night to meditate on it. Everything was still as he recalled the day's events, and a sense of calm crept into his senses as he listened to the song of the spirits of the forest.

Zuko closed his eyes and breathed deeply as he moved at a steady pace. He was at one with the night…

Gentle sounds of quiet music reached his ears. It did not come from the forest, or animals, or the plants, but seemed to blend with nature as much as these. Withdrawing from his thoughts, he followed the source of the sound.

He slowed as he saw a lone figure sitting on a rock by the pond, toes making gentle ripples on the water. Zuko knelt down on the grass as he observed for a moment. It was a young woman; one that he knew.

Katara was humming to herself as she strummed her instrument, being one with the music. Zuko was transfixed as he knelt there, listening to her. There was something about the tune; and it could not be explained.

It held the gift of peace but sang for the casualties of war.

It spoke of cold, lonely nights but felt the warmth of a new sunrise.

It sang of the healing brought by love … but also bore the scars and pain of heartbreak.

Zuko finally stood and approached her. She did not hear him come, but seemed to be subconsciously aware of his presence. He sat down beside her and listened to her playing the instrument.

They sat for a few moments until she finished the song. Katara held her instrument close to her heart and laid her head against it. She opened her eyes and turned to him.

"Zuko?"

He looked at her and gave a warm smile.

"You play beautifully."

She returned his smile, but it was different; it was almost sad.

She ran her hand down her instrument and replied, "Thank you."

He slowly reached out and touched the instrument. It was of Water Tribe make; its color was dark but beheld a silvery-blue sheen on its smooth surface.

Katara noticed him and answered his unasked question.

"It was my mother's. She used to play under the light of the full moon… She sang so beautifully that seals and even wolves would gather around and join us."

Zuko listened intently to her story.

"She must have been a wonderful woman."

Katara nodded.

"During nights when my father would join her, she would take off her necklace and tie it to the end, and hold their hands intertwined over it as they sang together. It was a symbol of how much they loved each other, expressed through the song… and embodied in this necklace."

She held her hand up and touched the smooth stone around her neck.

"Their love would forever be held in here."

Katara bowed her head as tears rimmed her eyes.

"And that is why I cherish this more than anything else in the world."

Zuko reached up and wiped her tears. She slowly put her hand over his as he rested it on her cheek. They looked into each other's eyes, the moonlight bathing in blue and molten in gold. Katara held his hand and pulled it down into her own.

"Zuko, I want to ask you… why did you come here tonight?"

He looked painfully into her eyes.

"I wanted to ask you a favor."

"…What is it?"

"I…" he trailed off. At this moment, it was once again an internal battle of his duty to his nation… and the duty to his heart.

_The Fire Nation council requires me to marry... The Fire Lord must have a wife and an heir to secure the right of his bloodline to the throne._

"I'm getting married."

An edge of surprise and pain lined her features. "To whom?"

"Mai."

She closed her eyes and nodded silently. Zuko continued,

"The celebration is tomorrow… and I wanted to ask you… if you could play your song for the wedding. It would be an honor if you sang for us."

_For them,_ she thought painfully. _Not for me and you…_

Katara held her instrument and began to play. Zuko quietly listened to her...

**o.o.o.o.o**

"_No lightning today? Afraid I'll redirect it?"_

_Eyes full of malice glared at him._

"_I'll show you lightning!"_

_The air crackled and sparkled as Azula drew the imbalanced forces together. He took a deep breath and stared determinedly at his sister as he prepared himself for the strike._

_She was ready to unleash lightning upon her brother, but instead a figure to his right caught her attention._

_He caught the slightest flick of her eyes that had been trained on him throughout the whole fight. A force stronger than impulse wrenched his body forward as he ran to shield Katara from the deadly force. Emotions ran wildly through his heart as he thought desperately,_

_Not her…_

_He forced himself to go faster, panic threatening to overcome him as he saw the light of electricity flash in her eyes. Zuko threw himself right in its path._

"_No!!"_

_**o.o.o.o.o**_

All he heard was the silent strumming of the instrument.

**_o.o.o.o.o_**

_Katara watched in horror as Zuko leaped in front of her. He took the full brunt of the attack, but did not manage to redirect all of it…_

_No, not him, please not him…_

"_Zuko!"_

**_o.o.o.o.o_**

The fourth, the fifth. Its gentle sound reverberated in the air.

**_o.o.o.o.o_**

_He watched helplessly as she was forced to face Azula alone. He tried to get up, but death was approaching him._

_Agni, protect her…_

**_o.o.o.o.o_**

The pond shimmered under the moonlight as it hummed with the music.

**_o.o.o.o.o_**

_She finally managed to chain Azula down. Katara ran toward him with all the strength she had left._

_Don't let him be dead…_

_She turned him over and let out a sigh of relief. He was alive, but his face conveyed the pain that wracked his body. She drew water and started healing him._

_Yue, help me… help me ease his pain…_

**_o.o.o.o.o_**

Every breath they took mingled with the tune that held the night…

**_o.o.o.o.o_**

_Zuko relaxed as Katara healed him. He looked up to the face who had pried him from death's clutches. All he wanted to do now was to tell her… to tell her what he felt, and what he been keeping for a very long time, but all he managed to say through the pain was,_

"_Thank you, Katara."_

_He had saved her life._

"_I think I should be the one thanking you."_

_She was so relieved and glad that he was able to speak. The fear that wracked her senses was unimaginable as she had seen him take the attack for her. _

_Now, all she too wanted to do was confess her feelings for him, everything that she had hid from everybody else… _

_But now it was too late._

_He loves another._

**_o.o.o.o.o_**

"Zuko, I'm sorry…"

Zuko looked up at her. Katara had turned away.

"I can't because… I'm leaving for the South Pole tomorrow. I'm going to help rebuild my home."

Zuko looked down painfully.

"I understand Katara…"

He was torn.

"I just hoped that you would be able to stay one more day… so I could say goodbye."

Katara did not look at him as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. She had to tell him now, or she would never be able to…

"Zuko, I—…"

"Zuko? Zuko!"

He looked up toward the garden. Katara silenced herself, and a tear slid down her cheek. It was too late.

"Mai's calling me."

He glanced back at her, and she turned away so he wouldn't see.

"I'll be back, Katara."

**_o.o.o.o.o_**

He made his way over to Mai.

"Where have you been?"

"I was meditating."

"Well don't just go off like that. You got the others jumpy."

She smiled, and leaned over to kiss him.

_A lone figure watched, heartbroken, from afar._

Zuko pulled back first. He looked at her with hard eyes.

"Why did you call me?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to see you."

He frowned.

"I need to go."

"Why?"

"I need to clear my head."

"I could keep you company."

"No." he said firmly. "I need to be alone."

Mai cocked her eyebrow and hesitated before going back inside.

Zuko turned and hurried back to the pond.

_I don't love her, _he told himself,

_Because my heart belongs to another…_

**_o.o.o.o.o_**

However, the person he came back for was no longer there.

"Katara?"

There was no answer as he searched all around. He scoured the area, but couldn't find her.

"Katara!"

Silence…

Then, he caught a shimmer of blue near the lake's edge. Zuko hurried over to it.

What he beheld as he knelt by the bank brought tears to his eyes and left a scar deeper than any physical injury could cause.

It was her instrument.

Tears shimmered on its surface… and…

"…_that is why I cherish this more than anything else in the world…"_

…Her necklace was tied to its end, along with three words etched onto the instrument's once flawless surface:

_I love you…_


End file.
